Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

arhanisch This movie is pretty boring, and its accolades pretty much ride on the success of LOTR and the first movie. The best scenes were throwbacks to LOTR. Overall feels like long periods of dull atmospheric build up punctuated by scenes of gratuitous orc-killing. Some neat scenes. As a movie does not stand on its own. As an episode, however... As a movie it feels too much like filler. "The Hobbit" probably should have been two movies, IMO.

cinemajesty Movie Review: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013)After now more Academy-Award-winning Director Guillermo Del Toro left the two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic childrem book, firstly published to the English-speaken book market on September 21st 1937, "Lord of The Rings" director Peter Jackson took the opportunity to present this centerpiece of a newly-organized trilogy by writing trio Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson, releasing the three "Hobbit" movies between December 2012 and 2014 in for favors for initial book options owner Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as galvanizing presanter, backed in wolrdwide distribution by Warner Bros. affliate New Line Cinema.In the first minutes, it becomes clear "The Desolation of Smaug" is not the usual Tolkien universe fantasy-movie, director Peter Jackson delivers with atmospheric as stark digital "Red Epic" cinematography ignited by Andrew Lesnie (1956-2015), when a 150-Minute theatrical cut by Jabez Olssen strikes suspense, visual effects splendors with gigantic spiders attack in a mysterious mind-blending forest, when the company of dwarves surrounded by actor Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield and reprising "Gandalf" portraying character Ian McKellen as Martin Freeman in the title-role of "Bilbo" must confront several non-stop thrilling action scenes from being captured by Wood-Elves, escaping in a extraordinary barrel riding wild river sequence toward the awakening of dragon Smaug, vocally portrayed to excellence by actor Bendict Cumberbatch, and then an exceeding edge-of-the-seat final confrontation between deceptive "Smaug and the mining forge organizing dwarves.The second installment of "The Hobbit" movie series markes a highlight in fantasy cinema due to perfect pacing, endless newly-to-discover characters from man-resembling hobbits, dwarves and wizards as orcs, other fantastic beasts plus a sequence-owning shapeshifting bear creature turning into the utmost mysterious character "Beorn", given face by actor Mikael Persbrandt, making this Holiday season of 2013/2014 movie event a real likeable as satisfying Hollywood motion picture entertainment experience, perferably watched in and IMAX certified theatre.Copyright 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC

Sancy Jeg This movie continues after the end of the first part of 'Hobbit'. As Gandalf the gray promised Thorin that he would help him to reclaim his kingdom, they all continue their journey. Gandalf turns back to see the darkness has returned. This is the best movie than the first part and I hope that the third part would be more interesting. I am very eager to watch the third.

tapio_hietamaki 'An Unexpected Journey' showed promise. I was hyped at the end when we get a shot of Smaug's eye buried in a mountain of gold. There were goofy battle scenes, especially the ones with the goblins under the mountain, and it was much too long, but after that movie I still believed there was some hope for this trilogy.After 'The Desolation of Smaug' I knew that there was no hope. This trilogy was not going to come even close to the predecessor trilogy, 'The Lord of the Rings'. Of course it was a tall order to begin with.The pacing is bad, the CGI fight scenes are laughable, the addition of a love triangle doesn't work. Eagerly awaited scenes such as wandering in Mirkwood, or staying the night at Beorn's, or knocking on the secret stone door simply fall flat emotionally. Gandalf blasting white forcefields in Escherian ruins was certainly not what I had in mind for his research of Dol Guldur. The movie has its moments - at least Bilbo's conversation with Smaug was tense and the dragon really had a presence, but overall it was a disappointment.I still gave it 7/10 because I think that if you disregard the source material and its utter failure to live up to it, it's still an enjoyable fantasy adventure. Compare it to titles such as 'Conan the Barbarian' (2011), 'Eragon' or Jake Gyllenhaal's 'Prince of Persia' and you will notice that it is a worthy addition to the rather narrow selection of high fantasy movies. It has orcs, elves, wizards and a dragon, the story runs along smoothly although it's rather generic, and the production design is appreciable. You just have to ignore the brilliance that could've been.